The Muntinlupa City Council passed three ordinances on Wednesday (Aug. 5) covering the sale of liquor, curfew hours, and use of home quarantine passes under different community quarantines to stop the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and promote social distancing.
As of Aug. 5, Muntinlupa has 1,800 confirmed COVID-19 cases including 955 recoveries and 78 deaths, leaving 767 active cases.
President Duterte placed Metro Manila and other provinces under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from Aug. 4 to 18.
Liquor ban
Under the liquor ban ordinance, “No persons, entities, or establishments, whether with valid business permit or otherwise, shall be allowed to sell and distribute liquor and other alcoholic or intoxicating beverages during the imposition of community quarantine in Muntinlupa City.”
The ordinance has allowed the consumption or drinking of alcoholic beverages “only within the private residence of the consumer” but has banned “social drinking involving individuals not living in the same residence.”
Majority Floor Leader Raul Corro of the Muntinlupa City Council told the Manila Bulletin that the liquor ordinance, which aims to promote social distancing, will be in effect under all community quarantine levels even when the city is placed under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).
Anyone found violating the ordinance will be penalized with a fine of P500 on the first offense, P1,000 for the second, and P2,000 for the third and subsequent violations.
For minor violators, penalties will be imposed and the fines will be charged against their parents or guardians. A stern warning is given on the first offense, followed by withdrawal of scholarship grants from the local government and for non-grantees, a fine of P500 for the second offense. For the third and subsequent offenses, a fine of P1,000 is imposed.
Business establishments or persons who sell liquor illegally will get a higher penalty of P5,000, closure, suspension, or revocation of business permit and license or imprisonment of one year at the discretion of the court.
Curfew
The Muntinlupa Council also passed an ordinance imposing curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. when the city is under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or MECQ.
It mandates that “no person shall be allowed to go out of their respective residences, except for certain circumstances allowed under the national and local issuances.”
Exempted from the curfew are “Authorized Persons Outside their Residence (APOR) and other exempt individuals, as may be determined by the Joint Task Force COVID Shield and/or other implementing authorities.”
Penalties for violation of the ordinance are the following: P300 for first offense, P500 for second offense and P1,000 for third and subsequent offenses.
Just like in the liquor ordinance, minor violators will be given a stern warning on the first offense, withdrawal of scholarship grants from the local government and for non-grantee, a fine amounting to P300 for the second offense and P500 for the third and subsequent offenses. The fines will be imposed against their parents or guardians.
Quarantine pass
A new ordinance was also passed regulating the use of home quarantine passes when the city is under ECQ and MECQ.
Each household will be “issued one Home Quarantine Pass (HQP) to be worn at all times when outside the residence to access essential goods and services between 6:00AM and 12:00NN in exempted establishments.”
Except in emergency and indispensable cases, quarantine pass holders are allowed to leave their residence only on the following days: District 1 residents in Bgy. Tunasan, Poblacion, Putatan and Bayanan: Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday; and District 2 residents covering Bgy. Alabang, Cupang, Buli, Sucat, Ayala-Alabang: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Monday is designated for disinfection activities. A pass holder needs to present any government-issued ID to verify the address.
Exempted from the ordinance are Authorized Persons Outside their Residence (APOR) and other individuals determined by the Joint Task Force COVID Shield or other implementing authorities. In accessing goods and services anytime of the day, APOR may present their Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) ID, bonafide ID issued by exempted offices and establishments, RapidPass ID, and Integrated Bar of the Philippines ID.
Anyone violating the ordinance will be fined P300 for the first offense, P500 for the second and P1,000 for the third and succeeding offenses.